1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for assembling an outdoor unit of a dual-unit type air conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner is fully assembled in one place after parts thereof such as a compressor, a condenser, a fan, and the like are separately assembled at other places.
Conventionally, a linear assembly line has been employed to assemble the outdoor unit of an air conditioner.
Such a linear assembly line employs an assembly method in which a plurality of workers are aligned along a conveyor line and assemble the respective parts of the air conditioner in subsequent order. Consequently, the worker share of work is fully diversified.
In such a conventional linear conveyor line system, the productivity can be greatly improved by the fully skilled workers. Accordingly, it is preferable that a product of one kind be mass-produced by the conventional conveyor line system.
In this society which is fully diversified and globalized, however, the demands of the purchasers are diversified. To meet such various demands of the purchasers, a system for producing variations of products in small quantities is required.
With the conventional linear conveyor line system, however, the manufacturer has to frequently vary the assembly systems if he wants to produce products in small quantities, or the assembly system itself has to be altered. Accordingly, more time and money must be invested therefore, and productivity is less when considering the substantial amount of investments.
In addition, once the assembly system is altered, since it is impossible to produce the products of previous kind, the flexibility in manufacturing is also deteriorated.
The present invention has been made to overcome above-mentioned problems, and accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for assembling an outdoor unit of a dual-type air conditioner, capable of flexibly varying the kind of product it produces and meeting the various demands of the purchasers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling an outdoor unit of a dual-type air conditioner, utilizing the assembly system of the present invention.
Above object is accomplished by an assembly system according to the present invention having an assembly section in which an outdoor unit is assembled, a refrigerant charging section in which the outdoor unit is charged with a refrigerant, a testing section in which the outdoor unit charged with the refrigerant is tested, and a packaging section in which the outdoor unit passed the testing section is packaged and forwarded, wherein the outdoor unit is loaded on a cart when conveyed.
The assembly section has a guide rail for guiding the cart, and a kit-box input/output means for supplying/withdrawing a kit-box to/from the carts conveyed along the guide rail.
The refrigerant charging section has a vacuum pump for vacuumizing an interior of the outdoor unit, and a refrigerant charger for charging the refrigerant into the outdoor unit vacuumized by the vacuum pump.
The testing section has a dummy unit for measuring a performance of the outdoor unit by being connected to the outdoor unit, and a display for displaying a result detected by the dummy unit.
Here, it is preferable that the vacuum pump of the refrigerant charging section and dummy unit of the testing section are respectively at least two.
The packaging section has a final assembly part in which the outdoor unit conveyed from the testing section is finally assembled, a packaging part in which the fully assembled outdoor unit is packaged, and a conveying part in which the outdoor unit assembled in the final assembly part is conveyed from the cart to the packaging part.
Another object of the present invention is accomplished by an assembly method of the present invention including the steps of (A) assembling the outdoor unit on the moving cart, (B) charging the refrigerant into the fully assembled outdoor unit, (C) testing the outdoor unit finished the step (B), and (D) packaging and forwarding the outdoor unit finished the step (C).
The step (A) has the sub-steps of (A1) assembling a frame and a compressor, (A2) inputting the cart to the guide rail, (A3) fixing a fan to the outdoor unit, (A4) fixing a condenser to the outdoor unit, (A5) welding the condenser with a capillary tube and performing a nitrogen test, and (A6) withdrawing the cart from the guide rail.
The step (B) includes the sub-steps of (B1) connecting the outdoor unit with a vacuum pump, (B2) operating the vacuum pump, (B3) disconnecting the outdoor unit from the vacuum pump, (B4) connecting the outdoor unit with the refrigerant charger, (B5) operating the refrigerant charger, and (B6) disconnecting the outdoor unit from the refrigerant charger.
The step (C) includes the sub-steps of (C1) connecting the outdoor unit with the dummy unit, (C2) operating the dummy unit, (C3) selecting the switch of the switching device corresponding to the outdoor unit whose detected result needs to be displayed on the display, (C4) determining the acceptability of the outdoor unit through the measured results displayed on the display, and (C5) disconnecting the outdoor unit from the dummy unit.
The step (D) includes the sub-steps of (D1) conveying the outdoor unit from the cart to the packaging part, (D2) encasing the outdoor unit with the packaging box, (D3) taping the packaged box of the outdoor unit, and (D4) forwarding the fully packaged outdoor unit.